


Of Nightmares and Late Nights

by NatsuKyoya (Sherloaf_and_Beljohn)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Kissing, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Oops, Other, Self-Indulgent, help what do, i realize ive been spelling gladios full name wrong, im so bad at tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 08:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11711052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherloaf_and_Beljohn/pseuds/NatsuKyoya
Summary: In which the reader has nightmares, and Ignis attempts to find a solution.





	Of Nightmares and Late Nights

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is SUPER self-indulgent — mostly because i'm joining the ignis-trash fan group. if you're in it as well, or are perhaps on the cusp of joining; hello and welcome :)

_Calloused fingers grab your throat, and you cry out soundlessly, thrashing your legs and attempt to pry the hand away. "Stop!" you wheeze, but the fingers only tighten in response to your gasp and your eyes roll to the back of your head. Everything goes dark, you can't breathe, someone is crushing your throat and you can't move—_

_As soon as it started, the pressure is gone, and your eyes fly open when you feel lips move against your own. You gasp, then squeeze your eyes shut as a tongue presses against your bottom lip. It tastes bitter, like coffee, and though you refuse to open your eyes, you feel familiar leather gripping your wrists, hard enough to bruise, and you smell sandalwood and cologne and you know who you're going to see even before your eyes open. You don't want to look because this isn't how he'd act at all, he would be much more gentle and you feel your eyes sting when you feel the weight of his body against yours._

_Fingers thread through your hair, yanking you away from the kiss and you cry out, fingers grabbing at the fabric of his patterned shirt. His breath is hot against your throat, and cry out again when you feel teeth sinking into the flesh of your neck. You writhe, trying to throw the imposter off of you, trying to clear your dazed mind and you choke on his name—_

_"Ignis—"_

Your eyes snap open, hand flying to your mouth to suppress a gasp. You're hyperaware of the rocks and hard earth beneath your bedroll, your sweaty clothes clinging to your body and the sound of running water outside the tent. Chest heaving, you breathe heavily through your nose, hand still clamped over your mouth. 

Your skin is hot, and you feel your hands and throat tingle, as if the dream you just experienced was real. Raising your head off the rolled up cloth that served as a pillow, you check to see if the others were woken up by your gasp. Hardly daring to breathe, your eyes search for signs of alertness in your tent mates; Noctis, Prompto, Gladio and... 

Your heart squeezes when you glance at Ignis, but you breathe a small, quiet sigh of relief when you see they're all still asleep. Gladio is snoring, and you can only hope it hid the sound of your gasp when you woke up. You turn on your side, facing the dark, bland tent wall, and you bury your face in your pillow. There's a dull ache at your core, but the ghostly feeling of fingers at your throat helps you ignore it; though you can't help but shiver and curl in the fetal position despite how hot it is. 

Your heart throbs in your ears, and you think about anything else; the chocobos your group has rented; the feeling of wind whipping through your hair in the backseat of the Regalia; the adrenaline you feel from defeating daemons; until finally, you feel yourself being lulled back to sleep. 

...

You wake to the feeling of a hand on your shoulder, gently shaking you. "Hey, c'mon, we gotta pack up," Gladio says from above you, and you sit up slowly, rubbing your eyes. "Did you even sleep? You look exhausted," he says, and you give him a tired, crooked smile. 

"I did, I can't help that the ground isn't comfortable to sleep on," you say. Gladio gives you a grin. 

"Can't argue with that; my shoulders are sore," he says, stepping out of the tent as you pull yourself out from under your thin blanket. After putting away your bedroll, you slowly follow him out, shielding your eyes from the morning sun with your hand. 

You see Ignis standing by the table he uses to prepare meals, and you roll your lips. "Where are Prompto and Noct?" you ask Gladio. 

"They're over there, probably wishing they had an actual bath," he points over to a stream, and you see them splashing water at each other while they haphazardly wash their faces. You shake your head, sighing fondly. 

"Noct, you're gonna get my clothes wet," Prompto whines as you approach. 

"Not my fault you started it," the prince replies. You kneel on the bank next to him, and dunk your whole head in the water, feeling it wash away the dried sweat on your forehead and nape. 

"Whoa, what's the matter? If you're thinking of drowning yourself then don't; Noct and I will pull you out in seconds!" You hear Prompto over the trickling sound of water, and you wait a few more seconds before lifting your head from the water, shaking the cool liquid off. Noctis and Prompto cry out as the spray hits them, and you smile at them. 

"Sorry, buddy. Not today." you stand, squeezing the excess water from your hair. 

The water helped cool your head, and you manage to give Ignis a small smile when you go back to the campsite. "Good morning," he says, glancing at you. His eyes linger on you, and you look away to pull out your clothes. "Are you all right? You're looking a little red," he says, and you swallow, glad he can't see your expression. 

"Ah, I just dunked my head in the river; the water's kinda cold," you say, climbing back into the tent to change. 

By the time you're done, breakfast is ready, and Ignis is passing around plates of food. You take your plate carefully, and try not to pull away too quickly when his fingers brush yours. He sits down beside Noctis, and you remember the feeling of leather against your scalp, the feeling of fingers gripping your throat, the—

"Uhhh, hello?" Prompto calls your name, waving his hand in front of your face. You jump. "We're talking about the potions we need to buy for the hunt tomorrow. You're being awfully quiet," he says, squinting at you. 

Without missing a beat, you raise an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean? _I'm_ the one who _made_ the list, in case you forgot," you say, taking a bite of your food. 

"Oh man, you're right," Prompto slumps in his chair. "Well, how about you go get what we need, then? They're trying to throw me under the bus," he whispered. 

You sigh, "Isn't that what you just tried to do to me?" you ask. "If anything, you should come with me so I don't need to go alone." 

"Whaaat?" He whines. 

Gladio grins, "You set yourself up for that." 

Noctis merely snorts, and you give Prompto a triumphant smile. He looks around frantically for support, but frowns when he finds none. "Well... make Iggy go with you! I need to um... sort my pictures," he says, then looks to Ignis for confirmation. Dammit, _dammit_ Prompto. Your grip on your fork tightens slightly, and you shovel more food in your mouth. 

Ignis has a thoughtful look on his face. "Well, I _have_ been meaning to replenish our supply of spices," he looks pointedly at Noctis, who has suddenly become very interested in the rock near his foot, "and our supply of greens, as well."

Gladio snorts, "Guess it's a good thing Noct isn't going with you," he says, and you sigh. 

"Prompto, stop being so lazy," you jab your fork in his direction. 

"Ignis already said he would!" Prompto holds up his hand. 

Ignis arched an eyebrow. "Well, I haven't yet said so, but if you insist, I suppose I will accompany [Name]." 

You curse Prompto in your head, but try to shrug nonchalantly. "Whatever works." 

...

You really, _really_ wish Prompto had joined you instead because _dammit_ Ignis is wearing his white stripped shirt and suspenders and _dammit_ he looks so good and _dammit_ his collar is unbuttoned because it's warm out and just _dammit_ —

"[Name]?" Ignis asks, and you jump slightly. 

"Sorry, spacing out," you offer a small smile. _Dammit_. "The market usually gets crowded in the afternoon, so I guess it's good we're here kinda early." _He already knows that, geez, I sound like an idiot._

Ignis merely nods. "Indeed." 

The two of you work your way around the crowded marketplace, stopping here and there to look at hanging fruit, different spices piled high that tingle your nose, and most importantly, the small shop that keeps the group's stock of potions up to date. "You can go on ahead; I'll meet up with you in a bit," you tell Ignis, and breathe a small sigh of relief when he walks away. 

You put the potions in a pouch and tuck it away, looking around for your blonde companion. Subconsciously, your fingers touch your throat, and your eyebrows furrow ever so slightly. More and more people are arriving at the market, and you have to squeeze past some groups of people. "Ignis?" you call out, looking around for his bright shirt and sandy-blonde hair. 

You duck beneath someone's arm, and finally spot him standing at a stall with boxes of vegetables. Eyes fixed on him, you swing carefully around people walking by, calling out to him again. "Ignis—" and he turns as something heavy hits your back. You lean forward too far, flailing slightly, and he catches your shoulders. "Sorry," you try and spot the person who ran into you, but you don't see anything, and look back up at Ignis. "Sorry about that. It's pretty crowded," you say. 

He releases your shoulders, and you feel the spot where his hands were tingle. "Not to worry, it's to be expected of this market in the early afternoon," he says, and you look around at the thickening crowd of people. "I am almost finished, we should be back with the others by lunch," Ignis turns his attention back to the vegetables, and you nod. 

You help him carry a bag of groceries away from the crowded marketplace, and anxiety curls in the pit of your stomach at the idea of walking back alone with him. Walking beside him does little to help your nerves, but you don't want to go too far ahead or behind. "This is a lot," you say, peering over the top of the bag you're carrying.

"I'll be using some of it for lunch this afternoon," Ignis says. 

"I-I see," you reprimand yourself for stuttering. You shift the bag to under one arm, running a hand through your hair, grimacing slightly when you feel the dampness of sweat against your fingertips. 

You stare at the cobblestone beneath your feet, mesmerized by the repeating pattern of the stone. The chattering of people around you dulls to a low buzz, and you begin spacing out until—

"[Name]!" Ignis' voice cuts through your disoriented state, and you feel an arm wrap around your shoulders, tugging you back, and you look up in time to see a car zoom by. "You mustn't space out in the town, that was dangerous," Ignis says, and you freeze, because you feel his arm across your shoulders, holding you against his chest and you smell sandalwood and spices from the marketplace. 

"Sorr—" you breathe, pulling away abruptly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to space out," you hug the bag of food to your chest, looking away from his own eyes. "Thanks," you say, and cross the street before he can respond. 

You're tempted to run away, but you force yourself to wait for him. Your shoulder tingles and you remember your dream the night before; the feeling of fingers at your throat and in your hair, lips at the juncture of your neck and you bite your lip, shivering slightly. But this Ignis is nothing like the one in your dream, you tell yourself, because this Ignis is _real_ , and not a figment of your imagination. 

...

If Ignis notices your skittish behavior, he doesn't comment on it, but you've known him for a while; he's perceptive, and you try to act as normally as you can to dispel any concerns he may try to bring up with you. 

At dinner, Noctis frowns at the array of vegetables, but Gladio tells him he should learn to eat vegetables before his body gives out. 

You still can't really look at Ignis, and you take your food with a small thank you, immediately engaging Prompto in conversation as he shovels food in his mouth. "Ready for the hunt?" you ask. 

He nods. "Dude, I'm so ready to take anything down!"

"Just don't flail around, okay?" Gladio says, and Prompto frowns at him.

"I don't flail! I'm very good at what I do!"

"Flail?" You ask, smiling as Noctis stares disdainfully at the vegetables on his plate. 

"[Name]!" Prompto whines, "You're supposed to back me up!"

"Just try to be cautious," Ignis says, "We don't want to be replenishing our potions every single day." 

Prompto pouts, and grumbles a little as he shoves more food in his mouth. 

Gladio convinces Noctis to train with him after dinner, and you watch the two of them spar as Prompto snaps pictures. You're tempted to join; maybe sparring with make you tired enough to get a dreamless sleep, but you don't have infinite stamina like Gladio or Noctis, so you watch them closely, paying attention to how they react to each other's attacks. 

You're one of the first to lay their bedroll in the tent, and you put it as close to the wall as you can, knowing Prompto will put his next to yours and Gladio will be next to Prompto, only because Noctis hates it when the blonde suddenly throws his arm over him in his sleep. Ignis will sleep beside Noctis because he's always looking out for the boy, and you breathe in relief when you see Ignis talking to Noctis. 

Of course, Noctis is the first to sleep, and you go over the details of the hunt in your mind. Noctis usually attacked first since he could blink right to the target, Prompto used guns so he would lag behind a little to give himself time to aim and shoot. Gladio and Ignis usually went in right after Noctis. You preferred long-range attacks, and usually targeted the underside of most beasts, since that's the weakest spots most of the time. 

When Gladio begins to snore, you decide it's time to sleep, and turn to face the tent wall. You're not sure if Prompto and Ignis are asleep, and you wait for what seems like hours before you're finally lulled to sleep.

...

_You feel his hands gripping your throat again, but when you try to cry out something wet is against your lips and you choke as a tongue flicks your own. You claw at his sleeves, and the fingers grip tighter and tighter until you feel your throat caving in under the pressure. Then there's a hand between your legs and your back arches off the ground._

_You gasp brokenly as a thumb digs into your mouth, you try and twist away, telling yourself that no, this isn't real, even though your skin throbs where he grips your throat and you can hear yourself gasping for air._

_The hands leave you, and suddenly you're flying through the air. You skid across the ground and try to push yourself up, but something hard and heavy slams on the back of your head, forcing you to the ground with a yelp. "Weak," a deep voice hisses, and you feel your heart throb and you try to speak but your larynx is crushed._

_Still, you feel Gladio's large hand grip your hair, and you writhe in pain as he lifts you from the ground. You see his lips twisted in a cruel smirk, and even though you know this isn't the real Gladio, fear bubbles in your gut and tears sting your eyes._

_"I hate you," Noctis' voice rings out clear in your head, despite the haziness, and you feel the cold metal of a gun at the nape of your neck._

_You gasp out an apology, but the others laugh cruelly, and then you're sinking, getting sucked in by what feels like tar and you can't move._

_Through the thickness, you feel two leather-clad fingers in your mouth, and you grimace at the taste. You're too hot, too cold, you want to gag and scream but no sound is escaping from you, and a loud rumble that sounds like snoring echoes in your ears—_

This time, your hand doesn't move fast enough to conceal your gasp, and you grip the thin blanket, heart pounding and breathless as you stare up at the tent. Something heavy is lying on your chest, and when your eyes adjust you see Prompto's arm is thrown over you. You push his arm away and roll on your side, heart pounding in your ears. 

You swallow, the faint taste of leather in your mouth, and you grimace. Your scalp is throbbing, and a low moan leaves your throat at the familiar ache at your groin. You certainly did _not_ think you had any masochistic tendencies, and you had no idea why your body ached after waking up from the dreams. You rubbed your legs together, biting your lip. 

A small part of you considered snaking your hand down your pants, but you really, _really_ didn't want to risk waking anyone up, and you didn't want to find out what would happen if one of your tent mates woke up to see you with your hand shoved down your pants. 

Still, you can't go back to sleep; your body sweating and throbbing. So you sit up slowly, timing your movements with Gladio's loud snores. Hopefully he's loud enough to cover up any sound you might have made while unzipping the tent and climbing outside, your bare feet touching the cold dirty ground. 

You zip the tent up carefully, stepping soundlessly away from the tent towards the fold up chairs seated around the dark fire pit. You remember the roughness of Gladio's fingers tugging your hair, the cold barrel of Prompto's gun at the nape of your neck, and you shudder, wrapping your arms around yourself. 

Gladio's snores can still be heard even from where you're sitting, and you take a deep breath, and repeat the mantra you've been thinking about since the nightmares began: your friends in the dream and your friends in the flesh are complete opposites; you're not in danger around them, and they certainly don't hate you. 

_Are you sure?_ A soft, cynical voice in the back of your mind taunts. _They're just good at hiding their contempt for you because you're so easy to fool. Open your eyes; there's no way they could ever like someone like—_

"[Name]?" 

A cold shiver runs across your body, and you brace yourself, breathing in deeply. _Dammit_. "Prompto, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" you ask, and the blonde rubs his eyes, collapsing in the chair beside you. 

"Nah, Gladio's snoring did. I didn't see you next to me. Everything all right?" he asks, and your arms tighten around yourself. 

"Yeah, I was just really hot, so I stepped out for some fresh air. But, uh..." and your voice falters. You wonder if you should ask the question that's on your mind. 

Prompto yawns and stretches. "What's wrong?" he asks, and the question itself is so innocent; nothing is hostile about the way he asks, he doesn't sound upset, just tired, but you feel your eyes well with tears, and you're glad for the darkness because he can't see how your eyes are wet. 

"Um—" you clear your throat. "I was just wondering," your brain screams at you to stop, that nothing good can come from asking, but you're so _tired_ and you feel so vulnerable you swallow your pride and ask, "Do you... do you guys hate me?" 

Prompto blinks at you through the darkness, and he stares, trying to process your question. "What? No! Of course not!" he says, alarmed. "What makes you think that?"

"Nothing, I just..." and you sigh, pressing your wet eyes against your palm. "Sorry, it's nothing. I'm probably just nervous about the hunt tomorrow." 

Prompto scoots his chair closer to yours, and you jump slightly, feeling his hand on your shoulder. "You don't need to worry, none of us hate you! We haven't known you for as long as we have each other, but you're totally one of us! I don't think we'd be the same if you weren't with us! I know Noct doesn't express himself, but I think he's grateful for your being here. Gladdy and Iggy, too." He says, and you feel your nose burn. 

"Thanks." If he hears the break in your voice, he doesn't say anything about it, merely squeezing your shoulder comfortingly. 

"Now, will you come back to the tent? It feels weird not having you to sleep next to," he says, yawning hugely, and you nod, a small smile on your face. 

"Thanks, Prompto," you whisper as he unzips the tent, and he gives you a tired thumbs up, climbing back under his blanket next to the ever snoring Gladio. You spare one last brief glance at Ignis' sleeping form before pulling your own blanket over yourself, lying on your back before closing your eyes, a small smile on your face. 

...

You wake up the next morning feeling happier than you have in a while, and even though you aren't a morning person—not as bad as Noctis, but not as good about waking up as Ignis—you stretch, allowing yourself a couple moments of blissful silence before putting away your bedroll. It's hard for you to forget the dream you had, but after the talk with Prompto your chest doesn't feel as tight as it did the day before. 

"Ready for the hunt, squirt?" Gladio slaps a heavy hand on your back. You stumble a little, but steady yourself quickly, looking up at him. 

"Of course," you say confidently. 

"You up for a little pre-hunt training?" he asks, and his lips curl up in a smirk. 

"What's the point of going on a difficult hunt if you're gonna use up all your energy training?" Noctis yawns. 

"I'm just tryna make sure you're keeping in shape. Wouldn't want you to be out of breath five minutes into a fight," Gladio crosses his arms. 

"Are we ready?" Ignis asks, and you look up at him, startled; you didn't think he was around, but he seems to have appeared right next to you. 

"Ready as I'll ever be," Prompto sighs. 

The beast is a couple miles away from the campsite, and as you've predicted, Noctis goes in first, warping to the beast right after he summons his weapon. Prompto circles around a tall bush, readying his gun, and out of the corner of your eye you see Gladio swing his sword with a loud cry, and Ignis moving around the beast's leg to avoid being hit. 

The animal thrashes it's huge limbs, shakes it's head, and you click your tongue; it seems long-range attacks wouldn't help. The beast was covered in thick, leather-like armor, and a couple times you saw Prompto duck as his bullet ricocheted off of the beast's rump. You summoned two long, thin daggers, and launched yourself at the creature, aiming behind its' ears and on the bottoms of its' feet. 

"Man, this guy's tougher than I thought!" you hear Noctis yell. 

"Don't let your guard down!" Gladio barks, arching his back before throwing his weight at the creature, sword pointed towards two beady eyes. 

The beast rears back on its' back two feet, and you propel yourself forward, dagger aimed at the creature's belly. It roars when you land heavy blows on the softer underside, and waves its' giant feet at you. You retreat, but only manage to get a few feet away before a horn catches your back, sending you flying. 

You're soaring through the air, falling closer to a nearby boulder, and you brace yourself for the hit, crying out as you crash into it with your shoulder and hip. Your body throbs, limbs screaming in pain, and you look up to see the beast flailing its' head, flinging off Noctis and Gladio before charging towards you, head down and horns aimed at the boulder you're crumpled in front of. 

"[Name]!" You hear Prompto cry out, and you summon a long-range weapon, but your shoulder aches and your aim is off. The earth thumps beneath you as it gets closer, and your heart clenches with fear. 

You can see the whites of the creature's eyes when you feel someone haul you up and out of the beast's line of sight. It crashes into the boulder, shattering it into large chunks and you look up at your savior. "Ignis—" you say, and he shoves a potion into your hands. 

The intense burning in your shoulder and hip dulls to a throbbing ache as it breaks in your grip, and Ignis pulls you to your feet, his hand lingering on your back before he throws himself into the battle again. "Watch yourself," he calls back, and you purse your lips, determination welling up inside you. 

"Right!" you reply, summoning your daggers again. 

Noctis lands the finishing blow to the creature's throat, and it lets out an angry, pained wail before collapsing, the ground shaking beneath your feet as clouds of dust rise around it's crumpled form. The rest of you watch the beast's heaving chest slow, stutter, and then stop completely as Noctis walks towards your group, stumbling only a little. "Are you alright?" he asks you, and you nod, biting the inside of your cheek. 

It's hard to look your companions in the eyes when your pride and confidence as a warrior has taken a hit. Your hand closes around your shoulder, and you glare at the ground, gritting your teeth. Dammit. It wasn't unusual for people to help each other out, but you had the power to save yourself, yet Ignis still had to come to your aid. _Dammit._

That night, the five of you crash at a caravan, and you leave dinner first, climbing into the tiny shower with all of your clothes on and turning the faucet on to the coldest setting. You wince as the icy water washes over you, and your teeth are chattering when you finally turn off the water, peeling your wet clothes off and changing into dry, cleaner clothes. 

"Hey, [Name], we're gonna play King's Knight, wanna join us?" Prompto asks when you hang up your wet clothes, and you shake your head, the ghost of an ache in your shoulder. 

"Sorry, I'm gonna crash," you say, giving them a wane smile. The sound of the caravan door shutting echoes, and you take a deep breath. You made a note to apologize to them for your distant behavior. You sat on the creaky fold-out bed, closing your eyes and trying to clear your mind. 

Surely, you think, you'd have a nightmare again about the day's events, and you frown. You can hear the muffled sound of conversation from outside, but you shut it out, lying back on the thin mattress before closing your eyes. _Dammit, stop acting like you're new to this_. You set your jaw, open your eyes, and stand, ruffling your still damp hair before going to the door. 

You jump slightly when you see Ignis on the other side, looking down at you and tilting his head. "Off somewhere?" he asks, and you step back, letting him walk in the caravan. 

"Just out for a walk," you say, your voice even. "I'll be back soon." 

His eyebrows furrow. "It's late, and there are many daemons out at night."

"I promise I'll be safe. It's only a short walk," you say, already heading away from the caravan. You feel the other's eyes on your back, but shake them off and step around broken tree branches and protruding roots. The atmosphere away from the camp site feels lighter, and you fill your lungs with the cool, calm air. 

Spotting a large boulder, you climb up on it nimbly, bringing your legs close to your chest and sighing. After tonight you won't let anything hold you back, you decide. The nightmares are just nightmares, after all, not messages from the gods or reality. They're simply visions of your insecurities and fears, as well as your desires. You shake your head, resting your cheek on your knees. Right, tomorrow you'd act normal and try not to be as skittish. Tomorrow...

You doze off thinking about tomorrow. 

...

_"I can't believe my father allowed someone as weak as you to join us."_

_"From the beginning you've been nothing but a burden."_

_"We tried to spare your feelings, but we'd be so much better off without you."_

_You try to open your mouth, but no sound comes out. You're shaking, and the ground beneath your feet sways and pulses. You see the your friend's faces twisted with disgust, contempt. "You thought we liked you? As if someone so pathetic would ever warrant anything from us but_ pity." _Gladio' words cut into you deep, and you try to shake your head, try to imagine something happier._

_"You've been a real pain since our journey began," Prompto narrows his eyes at you._

_"No one would miss you if you just dropped dead," Noctis hisses._

No. _You want to choke out._ You're not real, none of this is real.

_"I must say, I've never been as disappointed in someone as I have with you," Ignis says, folding his arms across his chest and staring down at you. "Perhaps it would be better if you let yourself get killed—"_

"No!" your eyes fly open and you wobble, hands flying out to steady yourself. "No," your voice wavers, and you press your knuckles into your mouth, trembling. 

"[Name]?" A voice asks, and you jump, scrambling to your feet. It takes you a few moments to realize you're still on the rock you climbed. The sky, which had been a deep red hue when you left camp, was now covered in inky darkness, the faint grey of the clouds illuminated by the moon's light. 

"Ignis?" you ask, feeling lightheaded. 

"You said it would only be a short walk," his voice is disapproving, "Do you realize what time it is?"

_"You've been a real pain since our journey began."_

_"No one would miss you if you just dropped dead."_

You shake your head violently, cursing under your breath. "Sorry, Ignis, I didn't mean to."

"It's exceptionally dangerous around here, we want to avoid anyone getting hurt," Ignis says.

_"Perhaps it would be better if you let yourself be killed."_

"Sorry," you breathe, voice raspy. Ignis tilts his head, and you see the moon gleam off of his glasses. 

"What's the matter, [Name]?" he asks. 

"N-nothing. Sorry, I fell asleep, and—" you say, "Sorry, I'll come down, I—" your foot slips on a loose patch of moss, and your breath hitches in your chest as you gasp painfully, feeling yourself plummet off of the rock. You squeeze your eye shut against the rush of wind and—

Ignis catches you in his arms, and he stumbles slightly as your body slams into his. You breathe a short, shaky sigh of relief against his neck. "Sorry," you say, and pull away. Except you can't, because Ignis tightens his arms around you. Blinking, you look up at him, confused. "Ignis?" you ask quietly. 

He looks down at you. "Why are you still out here, [Name]?" he asks, and you suck in a breath. 

Finally, his arms loosen from around you, and you immediately step back, feeling some tension drain from your expression. You open your mouth to speak, but you gasp, breathless as your back is pushed against the rock. Ignis looks down at you through his glasses, and you feel his hands—free from his gloves—holding your wrists in a firm grip. "Apologies," he says in a voice that's low and slightly gravelly from sleep, "but I'm not done with you just yet." You suck in another breath. "I know you aren't out here for the purpose of a simple walk," he says, and your fingers twitch as his thumb slides along the skin of your wrist. "Today and yesterday you've been acting strange," Ignis continues, "You've been rather skittish and spaced out. It may be easy to convince Prompto and Noct of your state of mind, but I am not so easily fooled."

 _I know._ You think. 

"So I advise you tell me what's the matter. I don't want you to keep losing concentration, especially not during hunts," he says, and you wince, your face burning with shame. 

"'m sorry," you mumble, staring off to the side, "We should get back—" you pull yourself away, but Ignis catches you, tightening his grip on your wrists. " _Ignis_ ," you plead, looking up at him. 

He studies your face carefully, and when he speaks next, his voice is gentler. "The others are concerned about you, as am I," he says. "Please, what is the matter?" he presses, and you bite your lip, turning your gaze downward. 

"I..." you take a deep breath. "I have these nightmares." You get the feeling that Ignis has already suspected as such, but he makes no attempt to interrupt you. "I know they're just that—only nightmares but I..." you frown deeply. "It's hard to forget them and sometimes I wonder if they're actually real or not—" You purse your lips together. 

"These nightmares," Ignis says, "Are they the cause of you waking up in the middle of the night?" Your eyes snap up to meet his face, and your cheeks burn. "I'm quite the light sleeper," he points out, "I have often heard you moving about in the tent. A result of these nightmares, I assume?"

"How much do you know?" you ask, voice feeble and soft. 

He studies your face for a moment. "I know you often wake up with our names on your lips," his thumb wanders to your jaw. You don't know if you should feel mortified or startled, and settle for a mixture of the two. 

"I—" you start, but your mouth is dry and your throat convulses as you swallow. "It's not what you think," you offer weakly. Ignis tilts his head slightly. "I... my dreams are not... _pleasant_ ," you spit the word out as if it's rotten. "They never are _truly_ nor will they ever be _enjoyable_ , but," you wonder if he can see the redness on your cheeks through the darkness; he can at least feel the rising temperature of your body. "More than once I've woken up with... with _feelings_." 

_Six_ , you want to sink into the ground. You've just admitted to Ignis Scientia that not only do you have nightmares that terrify you, but you've also been _aroused_ by such nightmares. "I see," he says, and he takes a small step back. Fear shoots through your chest; you wait for him to say the words you dreaded, the words your very nightmares centered around. "Perhaps I can alleviate some of your fears?" he says, and you freeze. 

"Alleviate...?" you parrot. He nods. 

"I do believe your nightmares are the cause of your unawareness of our feelings towards you, correct?" 

_Bingo_. You feel your breath hitch, and your wide, deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression only seems to confirm his suspicions. "Well," you breathe, "I-I suppose it is... worrying." 

"I can assure you, though our main objective is to make sure Noct arrives safely to his destination, that does not mean we do not care for each other," Ignis says, looking down at you with that intense green stare. "When one of us is troubled, it is only natural that we want to present a solution." 

You turn your gaze down again. "A solution...?"

Warm fingers catch your chin carefully, tilting your head up to meet Ignis' eyes. "Pardon me," he all but whispers before leaning down, catching your slightly parted lips in a kiss. 

_Oh, Six._

Your head swims, you think your legs are jelly but you can't really tell, not with the firm pressure of Ignis' arm across the small of your back, not with the heat of your cheeks _burning_ or the soft, but firm pressure of his lips against yours. _Oh, Six._

His eyes are closed behind shining spectacles, and your own wide ones slowly drifted shut. He pulls away briefly, only to allow you gasp once before kissing you again, and his scent is just as it was in your dream, like cologne and sandalwood, but it only tingles your nostrils pleasantly, and you sigh against his mouth, relaxing in his arms. His other hand threads through your hair, and you feel calmer than you have in weeks. 

"Ignis," you murmur when he pulls away at last. "Why...?"

His lips curl up in a small, coy smile. "Come back to camp, the others are waiting," Ignis says softly, and you allow yourself to be led by the hand away from the boulder. 

You can't help but feel vulnerable; Ignis kissed you but he won't say why. You suppose he doesn't _need_ to explain himself, but your heart is going to burst out of your chest and all you can do is look at the ground. 

"[Name]! You're alive!" Prompto cheers when the two of you approach the caravan. 

"Iggy said he was gonna bring them back safely," Gladio grins. 

"Welcome back," Noctis yawns. You stop next to Ignis, cheeks still a faint red. 

"You all waited for me?" you ask, "Sorry, I know you're all tired from the hunt..."

"Idiot, of course we waited," Gladio chides, but his voice is anything but upset. "How can we sleep knowing you're out there all by yourself? Luckily Ignis found you, huh?" 

You're aware of the bespectacled man's hand at the small of your back, and your cheeks flush a darker red. "Y-yeah," you say, stealing a glance up at the tall blonde. Noctis stands and stretches. 

"Since you're safe, it's time to hit the sack," he says, trudging up to the caravan's steps. Prompto smiles tiredly at you, waving as he follows suit. Gladio claps a hand to your shoulder, and you think you see him smirk at Ignis before he disappears through the door as well. 

"Ignis, thank you," you say when silence falls between the two of you. "I promise I'll do better," you look up at him. 

He stays quiet for a few more moments. "You haven't done anything lackadaisically," he says, and you scrunch your nose at the word. "If you ever need anything, it is all right to come to us," he says, and you nod. He gives you a small smile. "Now, shall we be off to bed? We have a rather early start and I think you deserve the rest." 

In response, you yawn, your hand shooting up to cover your mouth, and you offer a small smile of your own. Though you were sure your insecurities wouldn't be tranquil forever, that night, as you listened to the soft breathing of your companions, you were lulled into a gentle, dreamless sleep with the ghostly feeling of warm, Ebony-flavored lips against your own.

**Author's Note:**

> is ignis ooc?? possibly ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
